Means for operating railroad-switches



(No' Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

's. H. MILLER. v MEANS FOR OPERATING RAILROAD swmnns'. No. 536,474. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '2;

S. H; MILLER.

MBANS'FQR OPERATING RAILROAD SWITCHES.

No. 536,474. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

STATES 'sAMUEL HUFFMAN MILLER,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF OHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR OPERATING RAILROAD- SWITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,474, dated March 26, 1895.

/ Application filed December 15, 1894. Serial No. 531,876. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

clear, and exact description of the invention,

which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of' thisspecification.

My invention relates to switch-throwers, more especially adapted for use in connection with street railway-cars, and its object is to provide an improved construction of the same, by which aswitch may be opened or closed automatically, by the movement of a car,

thereby avoiding the necessity of stopping a car for such purpose.

\ The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinaf-v ter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanyingdrawings: Figure -1 is a plan view of a portion of arailway, such as is used in connection with my invention. Fig. 2 isa side elevation, partly broken away, of a portion of a car with my improved switch thrower. Fig 3 is a transverse section on the line w-oc, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my improvement. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the dash-board.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates the main-rails; 2, the switch-rails, and 3 a switch-tongue pivoted at one end to one of the main-rails, and at its other end beveled or on t-away to engage with a correspondingly beveled portion of one of the stationary rails. Pivotally connected with said tongue is a lever or bar 4, which is pivoted at or near its center to the tie or other portion of the bed of the track, and atits free end is provided with a projection 5, by which it is operated.

The numeral 6 designates a guide-rail.

The numeral 7 designates an ordinary streetcar, provided at the front-platform with a vertically movable and rotatable shaft or rod 8, which is journaled in bearings 9, secured to the platform, and dash-board or feeder. At

its upper end said rod is provided with a handle 10, and at its lower end with a blade 12, which blade is adapted to engage with-the projection 5, and open or close the switch. Intermediate its ends the rod is provided with acollar 13, with which engages the free end of a spring 14, which is secured to the dashboard of the car. The tendency of this spring is to elevate the blade up above the projection 5. Near its lower end the rod is provided with a foot-piece 15. The bearing-plate 9, secured to the dash-board, is provided with pins 16, between which the crank or handle is adapted to engage to hold the rod in any position to which it may be turned.

The operation will be readily understood.

In normal position the blade is elevated by the spring so that it will clear the projection 5, and pass by without striking the same, so that the switch will not be operated. When, however, it is desired to open the switch and switch the car on another track, the operator bears down upon the foot-piece and depresses the rod, at the same time turning the rod so that the blade will strike the projection and wedging in between the lever and guide-rail will actuate the lever and open the switch. To close the switch by a following car, after having been opened, the rod is rotated in an opposite direction, so that it willstrike the projection upon the opposite side of the same, and actuate the lever in a reverse direction.

In the drawings Ihave shown the spring 14, which elevates the rod, as being a flat spring, but a coiled or other spring may be employed, if desired, and it may be located above or below the foot-piece, or at any other point found convenient.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is The combination with the dash board of a car, and the bearings secured thereto, of the rotatable and vertically movable rod journaled to and working in said bearings, the handle at the upper end of said rod, the blade at the lower end thereof, the foot piece secured to said rod, the collar and the spring secured to the dash board with its free end bearing against said collar, substantially. as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

sAMUEL HUFFMAN MILLER.

Witnesses:

F. BASSETT, S. WATTS. 

